27. S

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The nerves were buzzing through me as Aiden rapped the wooden patterned door with the numbers 315 plated on the front. The corridor smelled different. Odd. I couldn't even distinguish the scent but it was equal parts clean and musky. Which didn't make a lot of sense. But the thoughts were diminished when the door flew open and Emma— well I think it was Emma — stood at the threshold with a soft smile that soon turned into concern.

Her soft and worried gaze was brighter than it had been last time I saw her. Her dark pin straight hair was free of grease, tucked behind her ears. Her features were so delicate. Like a young Natalie Portman. "Arian," she smiled and her gaze shifted between Aiden and I. "What happened to—"

"Oh I'm fine," my hand came up and touched the bottom of my cheek. "It was just an accident. Can we come in?"

"Yeah," she stepped aside and waved us in. "I'm Emma."

"Aiden," he introduced himself and I spun around with a guilty wince, realising that I hadn't made introductions myself. He came and stood beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

The room was nicer than I thought it would be. The carpet was a toffee colour, thick and lustrous. The walls were a bright cream. The standard shade for show rooms or waiting areas. The appliances were modern and the living area was equipped with a large television, a coffee table and fruit bowl as well as some snug looking sofas. From where we stood, I could just see the end of the bed in the room off to the right. It looked as though it was scattered with new clothes, still tagged, shopping bags scattered on the floor.

"So," Aiden smiled when I glanced up at him. It was clear that he could see what I was staring at with burning curiosity. Had Emma blown the cash that I'd given her on brand new clothes? "Should we sit. Emma, you can tell me about yourself?"

I hadn't specified what she could spend the cash on. And it seemed reasonable to want some new outfits considering what she was dressed in when we met. But that was a lot of clothing. We all sat down on the sofas and I took a moment to assess what she had on as she settled into the couch opposite us. Her pale jeans looked expensive. It was easy to distinguish an expensive pair of jeans from a cheap pair. Well, it wasn't until a stylist for one of Des— his events had filled the silence during a fitting about the evidence being in the stitches as well as the fit.

They fit well.

Aiden started up the conversation and I knew that I was focusing too hard on this girls outfit. It was ridiculous. "So Emma, tell me what's going on? Arian said that you were kicked out of home?"

She was wearing a thin white adidas long sleeve as well. The front was tucked into her jeans and it was a casual cute outfit. I loved it. But I doubted that it was cheap.

"Yeah my Mom— well she's never been the most caring mother," her voice was laced with resentment. "But my step father was murdered a while ago and it got even worse. She just went off the deep end and kicked me out. Said that I was too much to afford. That's because she wasn't in step daddies fucking will."

Ugh I felt stupid for obsessing over the clothes. After all that she'd been through, she deserved to splash out on some decent attire. What was wrong with me?

"What did your step father do for work, if I can ask?"

Aiden laced his hand with mine. Our intertwined fingers sat atop his knee. His white shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbows and the material wrapped around his chiselled frame. His appearance— while gorgeous— wasn't all that was captivating about him. His voice was soothing. He listened and wore a calm expression. It would be almost impossible not to trust him. He was so alluring without even trying.

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